, 1887-04-20
ON A C0WCATCHER.
LADY MACOONALO'S RIDE ON THE
ROCKIES "GREAT DIVIDE"

Novelty, Excitement and "A Wow Of nTur-
nIhcent Sccnory-Hou Several Wei
Regulated Young Men Were Aston
ishcd- Thin, Melancholy American.
1T Is an awful thing to do" | hear n
voice say, as the little group lean forward;
and for n moment I feel n thrill that is
very like fear; but it is gone mt once, and
/ can think Of nothing but the novelty,
the excitement and the fun of this mad
ride in glorious sunshine and Intoxicating
mir, with magnificent mountains before
and around me, their lofty peaks smiling
down on us, and never n frOwn on their
grand faces.
The pace quickens gradually, surely,
swiftly, and then we are rushing up to the
summit. We soon stand on the "Great
Diyide"@,3 800 feet above seq level-bc-
tween tho two great oceans. As we pass,
Mr.. E by a gesture, points out u small
river called Bath creek, | think which,
issuing from a lake on the narrow sum
NIT level, winds near the track. 1 look,
and loi the water flowing eastward to-
ward the Atlantic side, turns in q momen
Us the Divide is passed, and pours west
ward down the Pacific slope.
Many tunnels lie In our way us we rush
by them, and during q halt | am told one
of the tunnels is "'wet." This being in
~terpreted means that the arching rock is
full of springs, which pour on the train as
it passes. An umbrella and waterproof
arc therefore necessary for mc-now sole
occupant of the cowcatcher; and with
praiseworthy economy 1 take of my hat,
tuck it safely under my wraps and
prepare to encounter the ''wet''
tunnel thus equipped. We plunge into
Il few moments da .kness-water splash
ing and dripping OF every side; and as we
emerge into the sunlight again and stop
just beyond the tunnel, [ SEQ II party OF
young English sportsmen standing near
tho roadside. They have evidently Just
climbed the bank, guns in hand, leaving a
large canoe with two Indian paddlers on
the lake below. Fine, tall, young Saxons
they arc, in sporting attire somewhat the
worse for long travel, but very conven-
tional in style Notwithstanding. Just
imagine the feelings with which these
well regulated young men beheld n lady,
bareheaded and with I'M umbrella, seated
i'll front OF an engine Mt the mouth of u
tunnel in the Gold Range of British
Columbiai / am sorely afraid laughed
outright Mt the blank Amusement of their
rosy faces and longed to tell them what
fun it was; but not being introduced you
know, " l contented myself with acknowl-
NiBlnB NltH DIGStuCe ny u SOlelll ulll0
~boy-whioh was quite irresistible under
the circumstances
a MELANCHOLY AMERICAN.
A somewhat similar incident occurrcd
n.yt doy dnrino orr iorrnnu In +Lo LII.
of the Fraser river. The sneciaI stonned
Mt n station yyhere n mnla train ,vos inet
starting for some distant cold mines
laden with miners, supplies II vaa ynry
intcrcstinD 10 see the stnrdv nnimals Ill
packed and ready. STANDING in recnlor
order. waiting for he word of command
from their driver which ,vos instontiv
obeyed. Mi GIing oiong Mt eoral Instances
with the mir Of ouad: 1neds Of sunerior
intelligence. who had made mn their minds
10 avoid hurry mr. confneion n honceJ
to bo ono Of our limits Mt Ton time and NO
usual, nv Gun of tea and slice of bread
and butter were brought to the buffer
beam. 1 had lust been presented with
two large bounIets, which law in nv Inn
Wrilo I leisurcly slipped nv tea, there
suddenly appeared before me n very thin
EnnNathfnr m do ruit6 thn npp1= frpfr, ,,py